Superintendent Wheatley stated that Mr. Norrington left Early Wood, Petham, at 5:30 p.m. on February 17th, and hid his tools under the shavings where he had been working. At 8 o’clock the next morning he found the tools had gone. He reported the matter to the police and P.C. Wissenden made enquiries. He went to a wood behind the Herne Bay Waterworks at Ford (Hoath) where he saw the prisoners. Jarvis was wearing a pair of shoes which made marks similar to those found by the shavings where Mr. Norrington had left the tools. Prisoners were working with tools identified by Mr. Norrington. Jarvis said that he had purchased some of the tools at Canterbury and others off a man. Hope said that the tools belonged to Jarvis. Subsequently Jarvis made a statement in which he said: “What I have told you is wrong. I pinched them on Wednesday night, and Hope was with me.” When shown the statement, Hope said: “We went and go the tools together on Wednesday night.”

Owing to the fact that the police had had to retain possession of the tolls, said Superintendent Wheatley, Mr. Norrington had lost about 30s, which he would have earned.

Jarvis and Hope were natives of Petham, added the Superintendent, who said that at one time Jarivs was employed by Mr. Norrington, who actually taught him the work of making fences. Therefore he was conversant with the method adopted by Mr. Norrington to hide the tools. Jarvis was one of a family of seven and Hope one of a family of nine. He lived with his mother and he was her main support, the other members of the family being away from home. His father had not been seen for a number of years and was believed to be dead.

Hope expressed sorrow for what they had done and said that they intended to take the tools back after they had started work. They had no tools themselves and no money to buy any.

The Chairman (Mr. G. Blaiklock) told prisoners they had robbed a fellow working man for whom they had shown no consideration. They would be given a chance to retrieve their characters and each would be bound over for two years in the sum of £5, and placed under the supervision of the Probation Officer (Mr. J. G. Kerridge).

The Bench directed that prisoners should pay between them 14s, 10d., the costs of the prosecution and £1 10s. which Mr. Norrington had lost. They were allowed two months in which to pay.

Shirley Arthur Thomas John Norrington was the husband of Minnie Jane Burchett, my 2nd cousin 2x removed. He was born 16 Oct 1871 at Smeeth, Kent and died 28 Nov 1952 at Swavesey, Cambridgeshire. He had been a woodman in Kent up until at least 1939 when he lived at 3 Chequers Orchard, The Street, Bridge-Blean, Kent. He married Minnie on 13 Aug 1898 at the Reigster Office in East Ashford, Kent and they had at least 8 children between 1898 and 1910.

Shirley had served in the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Gunner #694 and in the Labour Corps as a Private #596261 from 27 Dec 1915. He is on the Lives of the First World War.

On 6 Mar 1890 he had also enlisted in the Dragoon Guards #3515. At that time he was 5 feet 9 inches tall, had a sallow complexion with grey eyes and dark brown hair. He served at least until 30 Apr 1902. He was a private.

Early modern historian. Loves gender, women's, social & royal histories. Ventures elswhere when interest is piqued. Blog may cover above themes or something a little more random. Find me on Twitter @ruthrblair